This article was written by Luke Ettinger for CBC News on May 8, 2026.
Springhill’s flooded abandoned coal mines are a source of geothermal energy used for heating and cooling at the community centre, part of the NSCC campus, a fire hall and area businesses. (Luke Ettinger/CBC
The Municipality of Cumberland is looking to attract interest in using geothermal energy from Springhill's abandoned mines as a provincially funded research project comes to a close.
A geothermal technical co-ordinator was hired for a one-year contract in April 2023 with funding extended to April 2026, according to a statement from the Department of Energy.
The co-ordinator researched the geothermal energy potential in Springhill, N.S.
The town’s abandoned coal mines were flooded with water that's naturally heated by the Earth's core. That source of geothermal energy has been used for heating and cooling at the community centre, part of the Nova Scotia Community College campus, a fire hall and area businesses.
“We wish that funding continued, but it hasn't,” chief administrative officer Greg Herrett told CBC News.
“We continue to now look for a commercially viable application for the resource whether that's a greenhouse or it's something else,” he added.
Geothermal greenhouse
A report presented to Cumberland council earlier this year discussed the potential for retrofits to buildings and a commercial geothermal greenhouse in Springhill. The research found an 1,100-square-metre greenhouse heated by geothermal would lead to a 67 per cent energy savings — about $51,000 annually — compared to electric boilers.
“A mine water geothermal greenhouse in the community of Springhill would represent a modern pilot project that has the potential for being a catalyst for additional mine water geothermal development,” said the report provided to CBC News.
Herrett said the municipality has no plans to own the greenhouse, rather staff are working to attract business interest.
Tory Rushton, the MLA for Cumberland South and former natural resources minister, said the co-ordinator position was never intended to be permanent, but provided important information.
"It's valuable information that any proponent will be able to utilize ... There's actually real live information that's available now about the mine water, the temperatures and the actual capability," Rushton said in an interview, adding that a greenhouse is just one option.
The MLA sits on a committee looking for ways to utilize the area's geothermal energy. The committee includes the province, NSCC and Municipality of Cumberland.
“Every time that we hear the premier talk about renewable energy or renewable resources, quite often and, quite frankly, a large percentage of the time, geothermal is part of that conversation,” said Rushton.
The Houston government is promoting resource development, including onshore natural gas and offshore wind energy, to boost the province's finances, which hit a record deficit of $1.2 billion.
Geothermal support
At an open house on fracking in Amherst last month, some opponents to that practice voiced support for geothermal.
Pugwash-area resident Jennifer Houghtaling, who also sits on the geothermal committee as a Cumberland councillor, said there’s been a lot of research before what she called a cut.
“I would have liked to be here tonight, representing excitement around renewable energy rather than going back to gas,” she said, noting she did not represent all of the council.